Continuous press



jan. 23, i945. R. B. HAINES, 3D

CONTINUOUS PRESS Filed April 6, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 jam 23, w45- R. B. HAINES, 3D

CONTINUOUS PRES S 1942 4 sneek-sheet '2 Filed April 6 n f. 9 7 w v w w i@ f jan. 23, i945. R* B. HAINES. 3D

CONTINUOUS PRESS Filed Ap'rl 6, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jam. 23, 1945. R. B. HAINES, 3D

CONTINUOUS PRES S Filed April 6, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 23, 1945 4UNITED sTATEs PATENT orrlca 2,367,677y ooN'riNUoos rmiss Robert B. Haines, 3rd, near Hereford. Pa.

Application April 6, 1942, Serial No. 437,887

33 Claims. (Cl. 1mi-50)` This invention relates to presses for extracting juices from fruits, vegetables, and the like, and a principal object of the invention is to provide a generally improved press of this class which shall be operative to aiord a substantially continuous discharge of expressed juices.

To this primary end, a further object of the invention is to provide a press wherein grating of the pulp fromIwhich the juices are being extracted shall be reduced to a desirable minimum and which shall be substantially self-cleaning.

Another object of the invention is 'to provide a press having a relatively high-yield efiiciency, and to this end, the invention contemplates maintaining the pulp under pressure for a length of time that 4will be adequate to insure a rupture of the juice cells and the discharge of the juice from the pulp mass.

To this same end of emciency, the press is operative to subject the pulp in its passage therethrough to a prolonged and progressively increasing pressure, obtaining a maximum at the point where the pulp is nearing the point of 'ciude possible entrapment of juices within the pulp mass and to give assurance that all of the pulp Ashall be subjected to direct action of the pressure elements of the press.

The invention further resides in certain novel mechanical and structural features hereinafter described and illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic side elevational view of a press made in `accordance with the invention; A

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sectional views on the line X-X, Fig. 1, said ilgures embracing, respectively, the upper and lower portions of the press:

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 8 6, Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 11, Fig. 2:

Fig. 8 is a detached top plan view of the jogging mechanism shown at the center of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 9, Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line III-I0, Fig. 3;

Figs. 1l to 14, inclusive, are, respectively, views in perspective of elements of the press structure shown in the lower part of AFig.'.3. and

Fig. is a detached view in perspective of an element of the cam device shown in Fig. l.

minates at its lower end in a conical contractionv 5. In passing downwardly through the section 4, the pulp passes through a valve 6, the function of which will be hereinafter described.

From the conical section 5, the pulp passes into the upper end of the primary screening section l, this section being conical in form and expanding downwardly. Extending upwardly into the screen section 'I from the lower end of the latter is a conical member 8, the wall of which in the illustrated embodiment is imperforate, although for some purposes this wall also may be perforated in whole or in part. The taper of the member 8 is somewhatl greater than the taper yof the primary screen section 1, so that the space 9 between these elements, which may be termed a pressure channel, becomes progressively narrower toward the lower end. Preferably the` outer surface of the member 8 is curved longitudinally so that it exhibits a parabolic proiile, and the contraction of the channel 9 for a givenI unit of length will therefore decrease progressively toward the said lower end. Through this gradually contracted channel, the pulp passes downwardly, to be eventually discharged through the annular space II at the lower end of the screen section 1. In passing downwardly through this space, the pulp is substantially continuously subjected to pressure, and thereby the juices are expressed from the pulp mass through the interstices of the screen 1, the juices thus extracted being collected in an annular trough I2 at the` lower end of a casing I3 which embraces the screen section 1, as illustrated. From the trough I2, the juices are discharged into a duct I4 to a suitable collecting receptacle.

I'he conical member 8 is supported upon vertical rod I5, and this rod is anchored at its lower end in the fixed framework of the press and extends upwardly through the upper end of the member' 8 and into the section 4. wherein it provides a support for the valve 6 and its housing I 6. The valve housing I8 is slidably fitted within the tubular section 4 so that this section may ,move vertically with respect to the valve housing Il and the rod I5.

The sections 2, 4 and 5 are formed, in effect, as one piece, it being noted that the screen section 2 is formed in the present instance by securing a cylinder of the screen material around openings I1 in the upper portion of the cylinder 4 itself. Secured to the upper end of the cylinder 4 is a collar I8 having trunnions` I8, and pivotally engaged with these trunnlons are the bifurcations 2i, 2l of an arm 22 which is pivotally connected at 23 to a bracket 24, this bracket being rigidly secured to an adjoining relatively fixed structure 25. A second collar 26 is secured to the lower portion of the cylinder 4,

and this collar also is provided with trunnions 21, 21 which are pivotallyengaged by the bifurcations 28, 28 of a lever 23, this lever being pivotally connected at 3i to a bracket 32 rigidly secured to the relatively fixed structure 25.

Rigidly secured to and depending from the collar 28 is a pair of bolts 33, 33 which extend loosely through radial bosses 34, 34 on a collar 35 secured to the upper end of the screen section 1. Confined between each ofthe bosses 34 and a nut 36 on the lower threaded end of the associated rod 33 is a spring 31; and a second and heavier spring 38 is similarly confined between the 'upper side of each of thejbosses 434 and a collar 33 secured to the bolt. Embracing each of the bolts 33 within the spring 31 is a sleeve 4I, these sleeves functioning to limit the relative movements of the bolts 33 with respect to the bosses 34 in one direction.

It willbe apparent that by means of the bolts '33, and thev springs 31 and 38, the screen section 1 is resiliently vsuspended from the cylindrical member 4. The suspension is such as togpermit a certain amount of relative movement in a vertical direction between themember 4 and the screen section 1, and to this end a slip joint 42 is provided between the lower end of the cone portion and the upper end of the screen section 1, this joint being of a characterto seal the juncture of the two parts whileproviding for the aforesaid relative movement.A Depending from the collar 35 around the upper end of the screen section 1 and to a point below the top of the casing I3 is a cylindrical apron 43, and this apron carries a flanged collar 44, the function of which will be hereinafter described.v

The conical member 8, as previously set forth, is supported upon a rod I5. This member comprises in the present instance a generally cylindrical base section 45, an upper section 46, and an intermediate section 41. The member 45, as shown in Figs. and 11, has a central boss 48 which slidabiy embraces the rod I5, and a corresponding boss 49 is provided at the lower end of the upper section 46. The section 41 consists of a simple frusto-conical sleeve which is confined between the sections 45 and 46 by means of tie rods 5I which extend through and between the boss arms 52 of the memberl 45 and the correspending arms 53 of the member 46. It will be apparent that by releasing :the tie rods 5I, the section 41 may be removed for replacement by a section of diherent form or size, if required.

The upper end of the member 46 is apertured for passage of the rod I5, and a collar 54 secured to the rod I5 acts as an abutment for the upper end of the conical memberv as a whole. The

. member 8 is resilientlysupported at its lower end upon a coiled spring 55 which seats upon an ad- Justable collar 56 on the rod I 5 and forms a bearing for the boss'46 of the section 45. By this means, provision is made for a certain free move* ment of the member l downwardly upon the rod I5 against the pressure of the spring 55 which normally retains the member in abutment with the collar 54.

5 Slidably embracing the base section 45 of the conical member 8 is a sleeve 51. 'I'he sleeve 51, see Figures 3 and 13, has a plurality of inwardly projecting lugs 58 which project through slots 6I in the lower part of the member 45, and to the inner end of each of the lugs 53 is connected a coiled spring 62, the upper end of each of which is connected -to an arm 53 of the boss 48. In this manner, the springs 82 tend to support the sleeve 51 resiliently in an elevated position, as shown in Fig. 3.

The screen section 1 is provided throughout its length with a series of outwardly projecting ribs 63, 63, these ribs functioning to reinforce the perforated wall of the cone and acting also to direct the Juices expressed through the screen outwardly away from the latter. The lowermost of the ribs 63, see Figs. 3 and 12, has a depending apron 84 which extends downwardly to a point below the upper edge of a flange 65 extending upwardly from the inner wall of the trough I2. The lower of the flanges 63 thereby acts to deflect the juices outwardly and away from this sliding joint between'the members 84 and 65. The casing I3 is supported in the outer wall of the trough l2, and the trough itself is supported upon legs 66, as shown in Fig. 1, which legs are suitably secured to flanges 61 on the under side of the trough body.

As shown in Fig. 2, the valve 3 seats upon the under side of a ring 68 which is secured to the inside of the cylindrical member 4. Extending upwardly from one side of the ring 68 is an arm 63, the upper end 1I of which is formed as a guide for the stem 12 of the valve. A spring 13 40 is confined between a washer 14 at the upper end of the stem and the top of the guide 1I, this spring exerting resilient pressure tending to maintain the valve upon its seat on the ring 68 The housing I6 for the valve 6 is supported upon the upper reduced end of the rod I5, being held in place upon the rod by a collar 16 at the' upper end of the latter. There is sufilcient length between the inner end of the reduced portion 15 and the collar 16 to provide fora limited amount of sliding movement of the housing I6 longitudisleeve 11 which may constitute an integral part of the housing I6 and which slidably embraces the said upper portion 15 of the rod, and a spring 18 surrounding the sleeve 11 and seating against the housing I6 exerts resilient pressure tending to force the valve element 6 upwardly and to retain it against'its seat 18 in the housing. The sleeve 11, by engagement'with the collar-16, functions t0 limit the extent of the upward movement of the housing I6.

Operatively connected with the lever 29 is a rotary cam 3|, this cam being secured to a shaft 82 which is driven from a suitable source (not shown). The lever 29 has a cam roller 83 which extends into a cam groove 84 in the face of the cam, this groove being so formed that rotation of the cam effects a vertical oscillation of the lever 23. In the several drawings, the lever 28 and the associated parts are shown in the position of maximum elevation. The cam rotates in the di rection of the arrow in Fig. 1, and from the point r of maximum elevation as shown, the rotation of the cam through an angle of approximately 270 results in a progressive downward movement of tivo .positions substantially as shown in Fig. 2. As hereinafter described, Athe screen section 1 will theievereaaner which um@ the directions:

movement is reversed, the lever then moving up.'l

wardly through the remaining angle of approximately 90 of cam movement. It is apparent that this gives a relatively slow downward movement.

. the weight of pulp is considerable, a certain amount of free juice is expressed through the screen section 2, and is collected in an annular trough 85 surrounding the lower portion of the screen outwardly of the cylinder 4. This component of the extracted Juices isl discharged at 8S from the trough 85, and is conducted to a suitable collecting container. As the lever 29 moves upwardly carrying with it the members 4 and 5 and the screen section 2, in what is hereinafter referred to as the up-stroke, the weight or pulp above the valve 8, together Awith the suction in the section d caused by the movement of the valve 9 and housing 88 away from the valve 6 and housing i8, causes valve 8 to open and admit the pulp to the interior of-the cylinder 4. As the lever 29 reverses its movement and theparts begin to move downwardly, in what is herein-after referred to as the down-stroke. the valve 3 closes and acts to force the pulp previously admitted to the cylinder 4 downwardly past the-valve 6 on the rod I5. In the upward movement, or upstroke, of the cylinder 4 and screen 1, the valve t and its housing I6 act as a plunger forcing the pulp mass through member and int'o screen section 1.

The housing I9 with valve 6 remains relatively stationary with member 8,-both being mounted on rod I5, and due to the larger diameter of the section 4 as compared to the diameter of screen section 1 at orabove its mid section, the pulp in the upper part or the screen section 1 is subjected to pressure during the up-stroke. This pressure on the pulp in the upper part of the screen section 1, which occurs after the initial movement of the parts in the'up-stroke hastaken place, re-

suits in a discharge of juice and results also in-a be held momentarily stationary in the depressed position after the sections 4 and 9 have begun the upward movement. and this lag in the upward movement of the screen section is permitted by the springs 81 and by the slip joint 42 which provide for a relative motion between the lower por#- tion of the section 5 and the upper end of screen section 1. A positive upward pull on the screen section 1 will not occur until the tops of the sleeves 4I engage the under sides of the bosses 94.

This lag in the upward movement of the screen permits a lengthening of the time for Juices to be freed from the pulp in channel 8 during the period of greatest pressure on the pulp nearing the discharge point.. At the beginning of the upstroke the limited free movement of valve housing I8 and valve 6 on the rod permits pressure in the upper portion or screen section 1 to be momentarily relieved just prior tothe sudden rise of the said section 1,"thereby lreducing the grating action of the pulp against the screen 1.

I have found it desirable to subject the screen section 1 to shock, preferably at the moment or immediately after the said screen section begins its upward movement which normally occurs at the time the sleeves 4I engage the under sides of the bosses 34. Primarily this shock is for the pur. pose o! dislodging particles of pulp which may have been forced inw the interstices of screen section 1 and which would if not removed tend to clog the screen.

This shock also has the effect of breaking the screen 1 away from the mass of pulp inthe compression channel 9 more eiectively under certain downward push upon the drier pulp in the channel 9while the screen'section 1 is being raised, thereby tending to hold the drier pulp down around member 8. It is to be noted that under operating conditions, the pulp in the upper end of the screen section 1 is largely fluid, while the pulp as it approaches discharge point il in channel 9 is taking on the qualities of more solid material. The narowing of the channel 9 with simultaneous increase in diameter toward the discharge end has the eeot of thinning out the relatively solid pulp mass in the channel and precludes possibility of entrapment of juices within the relatively solid and dense mass. This also acts to insure a thorough subjection of al1 portions of the pulp to direct compressive action of the members 1 and 8.

At the conclusion of the up-stroke, the parts are substantially in the relative positions shown in the drawings. The valve housing I6 is shown in an elevated position upon the reduced upper end portion 15 of the rod I5, to which position it has been shifted during the up-stroke by reason of pressure exerted upon the work material in the channel beneath the valve 6 and valve housing I6 as mentioned above. At the beginning of the upstroke, the lower en d of member-"5 and the upper end of the screen section 1 will also occupy relaconditions than is accomplished by the contact ofsleeves 4I with bosses 84 on the uil-stroke. To this end, I provide the device illustrated in Figs. 1 and', consisting of a rock shaft 31 journaled on a fixed support 88, said shaft having two arms 89, 89 which extend into the space below the bosses 34 for engagement with the latter. The rock shift 81 has a rearwardly extending arm 9| which supports a weight 92. of a pivoted latch 93 for supporting the weighted arm 8 I `in an elevated position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, a spring 94 being provided for normally retaining the latch 93 in an advanced and operative position with respect to the weight arm. The upper end. of the latch 93 extends into proximity to the cam 8i, and this cam carries a projecting lug 95, which, as the cam rotates, is adapted to engage the upper end of the latch and to force the latch back in the counterclockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to release the weight arm, the weight thereupon acting by gravity to oscillate the rock shaft 81 and to move the arms 89 into sharp engagement with the under sides of the bosses 34. The cam lug is S0 located with respect to the cam groove 84 that 'this release of the weight arm occurs at the desired mo ment with respect to Ithe initiation of the upstroke of the press. The dropping of the weight?,I

Means is provided in the form I down during the initial movements oi the sections 4 and 5 in the up-stroke.

By reason of its conical form, upward moveing arm 96, of .channel form for greater rigidity;

and projecting from opposite sides of the lower end of this arm are pins 81, 91, each carrying a roller 88 for engagement with the arms 88. In the downward stroke, therefore, the arms 89, 88 are depressed and the weight arm 9i elevated to the position in which it is engaged by the shoulder 98 of the latch 83. The -under side of this shoulder is formed as a cam surface to permit the end of the arm 9| in its upward movement to displace the latch rearwardly against the spring 84, after which the spring acts to advance the latch into the operative weight-supporting position. Preferably, the lug 95 is formed, as shown in Fig. 15, on a segmental member IUI secured to the cam 8i by elements which extend through slots |02, H12 in the element lill, thereby providing for adjustment of the lug 95 t0 a desired position upon the cam.

It is to be noted that during the up-stroke the mass 0f pulp is being fed to the upper end of the Vthat there is, therefore, little longitudinal movement of the screen with respect to the pulp mass on this down-stroke. While the feeding action is maintained during the up-stroke, as described above, this feeding occurs during transverse expansion of the channel, and the abrading action is thereby reduced. There is, therefore, little abrasive or grating action of the screen on the pulp and a corresponding reduction of solids entralned in the expressed juices.

With reference again to Fig. 3, it is to be noted that the flanged end 58 of the sleeve 51 projects into the path of the lower end of the screen section 1, so that after the downstroke has been initiated, the said lower edge of thesection 1 will engage the upper end of the sleeve 51, the screen section and the sleeve then continuing the downward movement together as a unit. When the lower edge of the screen section 1 thus meets the upper end of the sleeve 51, the effect is to close the annular discharge opening I i at the lower end of the pressure channel, thus checking the escape of pulp or juice during the period of greatest lateral pressurel in channel 9. On the up-stroke, however, there is a lag of sleeve 51 behind the rapid rise of the screen section 1, as sleeve 51 scrapes the waste pulp from the outside Wall of cylindrical member 45. 'I'his lag of sleeve 51 effects the formation of the discharge opening ll. The major part of the discharge of the pulp from the bottom of the screen section 1 through the annular discharge opening I I occurs, therefore, during the up-stroke of screen section 1.

The laction of the sleeve 51, the function of which is to control discharge through opening l I, may be regulated by adjusting the tension of the springs 62, so that the pulp may be subjected to an intensity and period of pressure required to extract substantially all the juices. It is to be noted aim that the spring 55 affords relief of pressure by depression of the cone member 8 and a correspending transverse expansion d the channel 8 and widening of the discharge opening ll in the event that the pressure should exceed a given maximum, thereby precluding damage to the machine due to the development of excessive pressure conditions.

It will be understood that lthie forms and relative dimensions of the various elements of the press, as described above, are subject to variation without departure from the invention to meet the requirements of various types and characteristics oi work material under treatment.

It ispreferred, as shown in the drawings, that the walls of the pressure channel shall converge, and also that the channel shall decrease in cross sectional area, toward the discharge end of the channel. It is apparent, however, that certain of the advantages of the invention may be enjoyed in the absence of one or both of these conditions. There may also be considerable modiilcation in the structural form and details of the elements of the device without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Ina press, a pressure channel having charging and discharging openings at opposite ends respectively and oppositely disposed walls converging toward said discharge end, one at least of the walls of the channel being perforated, means for charging the channel with work material and for progressively feeding the material through the channel from the charging to the discharging Opening. and means for relatively reciprocating said converging walls, so as alternately to expand and contract the channel laterally to an extent eiTecting periodically a substantial fluid-expressing compression of the work material in the said lateral direction as it passes through the channel.

2. In a press, a pressure channel having charging and discharging openings at opposite ends respectively and oppositely disposed walls converging toward said discharge end, one at least of the walls of the channel being perforated, means for relatively reciprocating said converging walls in the direction of said convergence so as to alternately increase and decrease the effective width of the channel between said walls, and means for charging the channel with work material simultaneously with said reciprocation, said increase and decrease in the width of the channel being of an order to subject the work material v periodically to substantial fluid-expressing compression laterally between the walls.

3. In a press, a pressure channel having charging and discharging openings at opposite ends respectively and oppositely disposed walls converging toward said discharge end, one at least of the walls of the channel being perforated, means for relatively reciprocating said converging walls in the direction of said convergence so as to alternately substantially increase and decrease the effective width of the channel between said walls, and means for charging the channel with work material while the said effective width of said channel is increasing whereby subsequent decrease in the width of the channel may subject the work material to substantial fluid-expressing compression laterally between the walls..

4. In a press, apressure channel having charging and discharging openings at opposite ends respectively and oppositely disposed walls converging toward said discharge end, one at least of the walls of the channel being perforated, means for charging the channel with work material, and means for maintaining the work material under substantially continuous pressure while passing through' said channel. said last named means, including mechanism for relatively reciprocating said converging walls in the direction of said convergence so as to alternately increase and decrease the eective width of the channel between said walls to an extent effecting periodically a substantial fluid-expressing compression of the work material in lateral direction between the walls. i

5. In a press, a pressure channel having charging and discharging openings at opposite ends respectively and oppositely disposed walls converging toward said discharge end, one at least of the walls of the channel being perforated, means for setting up`a now of work material through the channel, means for relatively reciprocating said converging walls in the direction ci said convergence yso as to alternately increase and decrease the effective width of the channel between said walls to an extent effecting periodically a substantial fluid-extracting compressionv of the work material in lateral direction between the walls, `and means for maintaining the material in the channel under pressure while the said eiective width oi the channel is increasing.

6. In a press, a pressure channel having charging and discharging openings at opposite ends respectively and oppositely disposed walls converging towa'rd said discharge end, one at least of the walls of the channel being perforated,y

means for relatively reciprocating said convergingl walls in the direction of said convergence so as to alternately increase and decrease the eiective width of the lchannel between said walls, means tor charging the channel with work material, and means for periodically subjecting said respectively and oppositely disposed walls con-` verging toward said discharge end, one at least ofthe Walls of the channel being perforated, means for relatively reciprocating said converging walls in the direction of said convergence so as to alternately increase and decrease the errective width of the channel between said walls, means for charging the channel with work material, means for momentarily decreasing the pressure on the said material in the channel, and means operative when the pressure is thus de'- creased for subjecting the said perforated Wall to shock.

8. In a press, a screen, a wall forming with the screen two opposed and longitudinally converging wallsA of a pressure channel, means for reciprocating the screen longitudinally of the channel and with respect to the said opposed wall, means for charging work material into one end of the channel simultaneously with the movements of the screen toward the other end, and means for maintaining the material under substantially continuouspressure while in the channel. -i

9. In a press, a screen, a -wall forming with the screen two opposed and longitudinally converging walls of a pressure channel, means for reciprocating the screen longitudinally of the channel and with respect to the said opposed wall, means for charging work material into the end of the channel at which the said walls are relatively remote and for progressively advancing the material through the channel, and means tinuously under pressure while in said channel. 10. In a press, a screen, a wall forming with jthe screen two opposed and longitudinally converging walls of a pressure channel, means for continuously reciprocating the screen longitudinally or the channel and with respect to the said opposed wall, and means for charging worl: material into the end ot the channel at which the said walls are relatively remotely spaced from each other and for discharging the exhausted material from the other end of the channel.

-11. In a, press, a screen, an imperforate wall forming with the screen two opposed and longitudinally converging walls of a pressure channel, means for reciprocating the screen longitudinally of the channel and with respect to said opposed wall, and means for charging work material into the end of' the channel at which the walls are relatively remote.

12. In a press, e. pair oi' relatively movable pressure members forming therebetween a channel decreasing4 in width from one end toward the other, means for progressively advancing work material. through said channel from the end thereottof greater width, and means for relatively moving the members so as alternately to transversely expand and contract said channel to an extent eecting periodically a substantial lateral fluid-expressing compression of the work material between the pressure members.

13. In a press, a pair of relatively movable pressure members forming therebetween a channel decreasing in cross sectional area from one end toward the other, means for relatively moving the membersv so as alternately to transversely expand and contract said channel, and means for progressively advancing work material through said channel from the end thereof of greater cross sectional area, said advancing means comone of said members, means for supplying the work material to the conduit, and self-acting valve means in said conduit operative with the movement oi' the latter to set up a unidirectional passage of said material through the conduit to the channel.

14. In a press, a pair of relatively movable pressure members forming therebetween a chan nel decreasing in cross sectional area from one end toward the other, means for relatively moving the members so as alternately to transversely expand and contract said channel, a conduit communicating with the end of the channell of greater cross 'sectional area and movable with one of said members, a check valve in the conduit connected with the other of said members, a second check valve within and carried by the conduit, and means for supplying work material to the other end of the conduit, said valves maintaining a unidirectional passage of said material through the conduit to the channel.

15. In a press, a foraminous hollow member and an inner longitudinal member forming respectively the outer and inner walls of a pressure channel, each of said members tapering toward one and the same end of the channel, means for progressively advancing work material through the channel from the last-named end thereof, and means for longitudinally reciprocating the outer o f said members with respect to the inner.

16. In a press, a hollow member` and an inner longitudinal member forming the outer and inner for maintaining the material substantially conwalls respectively of a pressure channel, each o! `said members'tapering inward one and the same lend of the channel and one of the walls being foraminous, said tapers differing so that the said walls converge toward the opposite -end of the channel, means for progressively advancing work material through the channel from the firstnamed end thereof, and means for longitudinally reciprocating the said foraminous member.

17. In a press, a foraminous hollow member and an inner longitudinal member forming respectively the outer and inner Walls of a pressure channel, each of said members tapering toward one and the same end of the channel, a conduit attached to the smaller end of the said outer member, means for longitudinally reciprocating said conduit and attached member, means for feeding work material to the conduit, and means operatively associated with the conduit for pro gressively advancing said material therethrough to the pressure channel.

18. In a press, a foraminous hollow member and an inner longitudinal member forming respectively the outer and inner walls of a pressure channel, each of said members tapering toward one and the same end of the channel, a conduit attached to the smaller end of the id outer member, means for longitudinally rec procating said conduit and attached member, means for feeding work material to the conduit, means operatively associated with the conduit for progressively advancing said material therethrough to the pressure channel, and adjustable means for regulating discharge of material from the relatively restricted end of said channel.

19. In a press, a, foraminous hollow member and an inner longitudinal member forming respectively the outer and inner walls of a pressure channel, each of said members tapering toward one and the same end of the channel, a conduit attached to the smaller end of the said outer member, means for longitudinally reciprocating said conduit and attached member, means for feeding work material to the conduit, means including a check valve in said conduit supported on the inner member for progressively advancing said material through the conduit and thereby to and through the pressure channel, and lost motion means between the conduit and the outer of said members.

20. In a press, a frusta-conical screen forming one wall of a pressure channel, means for passing work material through the channel and for simultaneously longitudinally reciprocating said screen, and means for periodically subjecting the screen to shock.

21. In a press, a frusto-conical screen forming one wall of a pressure channel, means for passing work material under pressure through the channel, and means for periodically reducing the pressure on said material and for simultaneously subjecting the screen to shock.

22. In a press, a pair of coaxial tapering members forming therebetween an annular pressure channel decreasing in width and increasing in diameter toward one end, one of said members being perforated, means for advancing work material through the channel toward the lastnamed end, and means for axially relatively opposite sides of a pressure channel, on

reciprocating said members so as alternately to transversely expand and contract the channel to an extent effecting periodically a substantial lat- Veral fluid-expressing compression of the work 'verging toward one end of the channel, one of said walls being perforated, means for relatively reciprocating said walls in the direction of said convergence so as alternately to expand and contract the channel laterally, means for charging the channel with work material at the end thereof at which the walls are relatively remote and while said relative movement is causing the walls to move apart laterally, and means for maintaining the mass of charged material substantially stationary with respect to the said perforated wall while the said relative movement is causing the walls to move laterally toward each other.

24. In a press, a pair of converging walls dening opposite sides of a pressure channel, one of said walls being perforated, and means for relatively reciprocating the walls in the direction of said convergence so as alternately to expand and contract the channel laterally and for periodically suddenly moving the perforated wall with respect to the other wall.

25. In a press, apair of converging walls de' lining opposite sides of a pressure channel, one of said walls being perforated, means for reciprocating the last named wall in the direction of said convergence so as alternately to expand and contract the channel laterally, and means for subjecting the perforated wall to shock at the beginning of the expansion movement.

26. In a press, a pair of upright walls defining opposite sides of a pressure channel, one of said walls being perforated and converging downwardlytoward the other wall so that an upward movement of the said perforated wall relative to the other may have the effect of transversely expanding said channel, means for reciprocating the perforated wall in an up and down direction so as alternately to expand and contract the channel transversely, and means for feeding work material progressively through said channel from the top thereof toward the bottom.

27. In a press, a pair of upright walls defining of said walls being perforated X and converging downwardly toward the other wall so that an upward movement of the said perforated wall relative to the other may have the effect of transversely expanding said channel, means for reciprocating the perforated wall in up 4and down direction so as alternately to expand and contract the channel transversely, means for feeding work material progressively through said channel from the top thereof toward the bottom, and means for accompanying the upward movements of the perforated wall with shock so as to free the said wall from the mass of`work material in the channel.

28. In a press, a pair of upright walls defining opposite sides of a pressure channel, one of said walls being perforated and converging downwardly toward the other wall so that an upward movement of the said perforated wall relative to the other may have the effect of transversely expanding said channel, means for reciprocating the perforated wall in up and down direction so as alternately to expand and contract the channel transversely, means for feeding work material progressively through said channel from the top thereof toward the bottom, and means for initiating the upward movements of the perforated wall by shock impact in the direction of reciprocating said walls longitudinally of the pressure channel so as alternately to expand and contract said channel laterally. means for charging the channel with work material at the end thereof at which the walls are relatively remote and for progressively feeding the material through the channel in the said longitudinal direction toward the opposite end.- and means for maintaining the mass of said material substantially stationary with respect to the said perforated wall while the ysaid relative movement is causing the channel to contract.

30. In a press, a pair of converging walls deining opposite sides of a pressure channel, one

of said walls being perforated, means for reciprocating the perforated wall in thel direction of said convergence so as alternately to expand and contract the channel laterally, means for feeding work material progressively throughthe vchannel from the end thereof at which the walls are relatively remote toward the other end, and means for maintaining the mass of said material in the channel relatively stationary with respect to the said perforated wall while the said wall is moving in the direction to contract the channel.

3l. ln a press, a pair oi upright walls deilning opposite sides of a pressure channel, one of said walls being perforated and converging downwardly toward the other wall so that an upward movement of the said perforated wall relative to the other has the effect of transversely expandina said channel, means for reciprocating the perforated wall in up and down direction so as alternately to expand and contract the channel transversely, means for feeding work material progressively through said channel from the top thereof toward the bottom, means i'or accompanying the upward movements of the perforated wall with shock thereby to free the said wall from the mass of work material in the channel, and means for maintaining the mass of said material in the channel relatively stationary with respect to the said perforated wall while the said'wall is moving in the downward direction.

32. In a press, a pressure channel having charging and discharging openings at opposite ends respectively and oppositely disposed walls converging toward said discharge end, one at least of the walls of the channel being perforated, means for charging the channel with work Y material and for progressively feeding the material through the channel from the charging to the discharging opening, and means for relatively reciprocating said converging walls in the direction of said convergence so as alternately to expand and contract the channel laterally to an extent effecting periodically a substantial iluidexpressing compression of the work material in the said lateral direction as it passes through the channel.

33; In a press, a pair vof relatively movable pressure members forming therebetween a channel decreasing in cross-sectional area from one end toward the other, means for progressively advancing work material through said channel from the end thereof of greater cross-sectional area, and means for relatively moving the members so as alternately to transversely expand and contract said 'channel to an extent eilecting periodically a substantial lateral duid-expressing 

